Bechdel Test Movie List

/bech·del test/ n.
1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man

[[3]] Isle of Dogs (2018) [imdb]

This movie passed 3 of 3 tests. It was entered by Kat on 2018-04-01 07:55:48.

Reviews

Comments

Kat said:
The foreign exchange student, Tracy Walker, convinces the depressed assistant scientist Yoko Ono to reveal the last flask of serum hidden in the bar.
Message posted on 2018-04-01 07:55:48
Alice disagreed with the rating and said:
It only passes test 3 with a generous interpretation. Tracy and Yoko talk about the dead male scientist who discovered the serum - talking about the serum is basically just talking about the male scientist.
Message posted on 2018-04-07 14:10:20
Sarah disagreed with the rating and said:
In the proof offered, the conversation is centered around the death of the female scientist’s male love interest (which is the cause of her depression). Female characters in the movie (canine and human) are not allowed identities independent of their romantic relationships with males. Even Tracy, the most fully realized female character, develops a (totally unnecessary to the plot) crush on Atari.
Message posted on 2018-04-14 13:06:21
David said:
But don't Tracy and Yoko talk about Professor Watanabe? Anyway, Auntie yelling at Tracy to go to sleep passes the test.
Message posted on 2018-04-20 19:09:14
Kristen said:
Really, David? Someone yelling "go to sleep" passes for conversation?! That's a pretty low bar...
Message posted on 2018-05-12 22:00:02
Belinda said:
Auntie is not a real name. The movie doesn't pass test 3, as Alice and Sarah explain.
Message posted on 2018-05-17 03:05:24
Lady Kar said:
At first I thought It did not pass the test. But when I watched for a second time I realized it was ok.

When Tracy and Yoko talk at the bar, the starting point for the conversation is the investigation into the conspiracy organized by the whole Kobayashi clan.

Yoko says it's too late, and then all it's about Her depression. And Tracy helps Her To Get over it. Kuddos For That.

In addition, the serum was developed by men and women. And Nutmeg has some lines of criticism towards gender impositions.
Message posted on 2018-05-17 03:15:27
Liss disagreed with the rating and said:
If this film passes the Bechdel test, then the Bechdel test is not a valid measure. Sure, there may be a few conversations between the female characters, but these are short and don't contribute much to the main narrative. The dogs are the main characters in this film and only two of them are female. One is considered attractive and can do tricks (i.e only there as she can entertain males) and the other is a mother and partner (i.e only there because she can reproduce).The exchange student's role, although important, was minimally featured. Why did the all the main dogs have to be males? Would the narrative have been damaged by having 50% male and 50% female? The short answer is no. I would not recommend this film for boys or girls as it simply reinforces the idea that females are only kept around to satisfy male needs. It does a disservice to both genders.
Message posted on 2018-11-05 03:13:15
irlurl disagreed with the rating and said:
There is no way this movie passes the check. It is a hyper-bro movie. I went to it because Black Panther was totally sold out and my friend suggested it over dinner.

The only thing I was told was that it was an animated Wes Anderson film about dogs. I predicted the plot to my friend across the table and within ten minutes of the film starting it followed verbatim. A group of male dogs with really tough names plotting together on some type of feat with sparse introduction of female characters presented as love interests with disempowered names.

Giving this movie the green light is definitely a mistake and should be adjusted.
Message posted on 2019-03-12 07:54:21
Bia disagreed with the rating and said:
I think that this does pass but by a VERY slim chance, and why does Tracy have a crush Atari it is totally unnecessary.
Message posted on 2019-03-28 16:54:35
Anna disagreed with the rating and said:
As has been pointed out, the only conversation between two (quasi)-named females was Tracy the Exchange Student saying "Am I right?" pushing a binder to The Female Scientist, TFS pushing it back saying "You're too late", repeat a couple of times, then throwing themselves into talking about the Professor. And in that exchange I would argue that TFS was talking about the Professor the whole time, the implication being that "you're too late because the Professor is dead."

Makes me wonder, and I've probably seen less than half his movies, which of Wes Anderson's movies genuinely (i.e. not just extremely superficially) pass the test.
Message posted on 2019-03-31 04:31:09
Jen said:
If you disagree with the rating that this movie shouldn't pass, you keep misunderstanding the "point" of the test. It is NOT a test of whether a movie is suitably feminist, it is simply a measure to see, would the character from "Dykes to Watch Out For" who proposed this test actually watch the movie in question.

The qualifying conversations I noticed:

- Tracy and her foreign exchange host ("Auntie") talk about how she needs to go to sleep.

- Tracy and Yoko initially talk about Professor Watanabe's "suicide" but they switch topics to the serum.

- Nutmeg and the Oracle (both female dogs) shout "ESCAPE!" [I know this is dubious, but they say it in earshot of each other.]
Message posted on 2019-04-21 03:50:50
Sasha disagreed with the rating and said:
I agree with the comments above! I think that the conversation between Tracy and the female scientist was generally about the death and works of pr. Kobayashi. It baffles me how sexist this film is, given that they managed to impose traditional human gender roles on dogs, who... don't have such roles
Message posted on 2020-01-02 20:38:40

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